NowI'mAPRBLEM

 The name for this project is special to me; it made sense that it would ultimately become this despite my not knowing so. It was originally “So Now I’m APRBLEM”, but “so” was redacted to avoid redundancy. As Black women, according to the women of the project, we are aware of our status. We are the problem and have been for many folks—by no fault of our own might I add. 

 

 NowI’mAPRBLEM can be read in a number of ways: 

 “Now I’m APRBLEM”. As an inquisitive response to those who feel it necessary to speak from their prejudice, personal biases and label us the issue. 

 

 “Now I’m APRBLEM”. As a declaration, an embrace of our status as not only Black people, but as women, a group that has been and in some places still is, treated as inferior to our male counterparts. To state it in this way would mean to repurpose a label that is meant to humble us, to push us towards the hatred of who, what, why we are and who we come from. In other words, excuse my french, but fuck all that. 

 

 On its surface, the intention of this project is two-fold:

1. An archive: It is a space for the women of this story to be remembered for who they are, for who they know themselves to be, but also for future generations to know where we come from. 

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2. ASafeSpace: Space for women to hold their stories without consequence.

 

 The point was not to find the truth—as if it were possible to do so. It wasn’t for any of the women to bare their souls in hopes of uncovering a newfound idea about black womanhood in order to understand this often misunderstood group. It was to celebrate—at least that’s where it started. It was to put the women in dialogue with one another without them even having to see the faces of the others until they did. 

WE BEEN HERE. 

WE STILL HERE. 

AND WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.